Wildcats, Leopards show qualifying qualities

MANCHESTER, Md. -- Washington County swept the team titles at the Maryland Class 1A West Track & Field Championships on Friday at Manchester Valley High School.

The Williamsport boys outscored runner-up Brunswick 133 to 103.5 to successfully defend their region title, while Smithsburg held off Boonsboro 113.33 to 85 for the girls crown.

More importantly, the top four finishers in each event Friday automatically qualified for next week's state meet in Baltimore. Others advanced by meeting specific standards.

"The goal was just to qualify, but we still wanted to have good performances," said Williamsport's Justin Bowie, who won the 110 hurdles (14.79) and 300 hurdles (40.15) and anchored two winning relays, the 4x200 (1:31.88) and 4x400 (3:31.92).

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"It's always good to perform on the stage right before the big stage," he said. "We want to show other teams that we're a force to be reckoned with. It also helps to keep us motivated."

The Williamsport boys also got a win from Stephen Christy in the high jump (6 feet).

The Smithsburg girls won the 4x100 (51.58) and 4x200 (1:48.83) and got wins from Colleen Black in the discus (117-6) and Jonelle Jerwick in the pole vault (9-8) on their way to another region title.

"Taking the trophy home is always nice. It's the fifth region championship for Smithsburg girls teams this school year, which is pretty impressive," said Smithsburg coach T.J. Hood, whose team joined the Leopards' cross country, volleyball, basketball and indoor track teams as 1A West champs. "We're successful because the rest of the county pushes us. When you get tested every week, it's going to make you better."

Boonsboro freshman phenom Abby Duncan, who played soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter, had her best meet of the spring, winning the girls 100 (12.70), 200 (25.96) and 400 (59.20).

"It's pretty amazing how far I've come already. It's really surreal," Duncan said. "I knew I was pretty fast in soccer, but I never would have imagined this."

The Boonsboro girls also got a win from another freshman, Sarah Zielinski, in the 3,200 (12:42.17).

Coby Gussio led the third-place Boonsboro boys, winning the triple jump (44-3 1/2) and long jump (21-7 1/2) and placing second in the 400 (49.48).

Smithsburg's David Wilson, whose sights are set on adding more state titles to his rsum next week, cruised to victories Friday in the boys 1,600 (4:26.79) and 3,200 (9:43.69).

"I was happy with both races today," said Wilson, a state champ in cross country and indoor track. "I was saving it today, but I want to go into states confident, so I wasn't going to let someone beat me."

The third-place Williamsport girls won the 4x400 (4:11.95) and got a win from Allison Gulnac in the 300 hurdles (48.94).

Clear Spring's Paige Shirk, the defending state champ in the girls shot put and discus, won the shot put (40-9 3/4) and placed second in the discus (111-0).